Young Cats have Scott excited

AFL: Gary Ablett's return to Geelong has certainly hogged the headlines this pre-season.

However, Cats coach Chris Scott says there are a couple of young recruits that fans should be equally excited about heading into 2018.

Second round draft picks Tim Kelly and Lachlan Fogarty have made strong impressions on their new coach and could be in line for early season debuts.

"We did have a few specific targets ... our first couple of picks in particular were great acquisitions for us." Scott told the club website.

"Tim Kelly is a bit older but we think he could help us, if not straight away, but pretty early in his tenure at Geelong.

Lachie Fogarty. Picture: Alison Wynd

"To be frank, Lachlan Fogarty was someone that I didn't know much about because we thought he was going to be an early pick, so to get him later was a real bonus for us.

"All our picks are going to help us, definitely in the medium term, but I think they've got the capacity to help us in 2018 as well, which is exciting."

Geelong snared Fogarty with pick No.22 and Kelly two picks later at No.24. Charlie Constable was also a second-round pick at No.36.

Fogarty, 18, is a lightly built midfielder that could start his career as a dangerous small forward.

Tim Kelly. Picture: Alison Wynd

Kelly, 23, finished second in the WAFL Sandover Medal in 2017 after an outstanding season with South Fremantle and has an AFL ready body.

The Cats have had recent success in the draft's second round after snaring Brandan Parfitt and Tom Stewart in 2016.

Geelong kicks off its pre-season campaign with an AFLX exhibition against Adelaide, Port Adelaide, Fremantle, West Coast and Collingwood in Adelaide before JLT Community Series games against Gold Coast in Townsville and Essendon in Colac.